This invention relates to crutches utilized in assisting handicapped or disabled persons in ambulation. More particularly, this invention relates to apparatus and methods for temporary storage of such crutches while not in use.
Crutches commonly utilized for ambulatory assistance are typically used in pairs, each crutch comprising a front bow having an upper end and a lower end, a rear bow having an upper end and a lower end, an arm piece spanning between and interconnecting the upper ends of the front and rear bows, a foot piece spanning between and interconnecting the lower ends of the front and rear bows, and a hand piece spanning between the front and rear bows, the hand piece being positioned at an approximate midpoint between the arm piece and the foot piece. Typically, the hand piece and arm piece of such crutch are wider than its foot piece, causing the front and rear bows of the crutch to extend upwardly from its foot piece in a xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d configuration.
Handicapped or disabled persons utilizing crutches such as described above commonly ambulate with crutch assistance to a resting point such as a restaurant dinner table or a classroom desk. Upon arriving at such resting point, the user of the crutches typically removes the crutches from beneath the user""s arms and allows a hand opposite the user""s disabled foot or leg to rest upon the desk or dinner table. The crutch user then seats him or herself utilizing one hand and a non-disabled leg for bodily support, and utilizing the other hand to hold the pair of crutches. Upon seating, the crutch user typically wishes to be freed of the task of manually holding the pair of crutches.
Two known methods of freeing such a seated crutch user from manually holding his or her crutches are lying the crutches upon the floor or propping the crutches on the desk or table. Lying the crutches on the floor undesirably creates a tripping hazard for others, and propping the crutches upon the desk or table undesirably interferes with the use of the desk or table.
The instant inventive apparatus and method for standing crutches conveniently allows such a seated crutch user to free his or her hands from holding crutches, while avoiding undesirable results described above. Such objectives are achieved by providing a removably attachable bracket which enables the crutches to support each other, standing in an xe2x80x9cXxe2x80x9d configuration.
The apparatus of the instant inventive apparatus and method for standing crutches preferably comprises a xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d bracket having a front arm and a rear arm. Preferably, said arms are spaced apart so that they define a crutch foot receiving space having a lateral dimension slightly greater than the combined lateral widths of the lower bow ends and crutch foot of a common crutch as described above. Such sizing of the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d bracket allows the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d bracket to be conveniently placed between the upper ends of the front and rear bows of such crutch.
The preferred xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d bracket may suitably further comprise a cross member extending between the upper ends of its front and rear arms, causing the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d bracket to have an eye or xe2x80x9cOxe2x80x9d configuration. However, such xe2x80x9cOxe2x80x9d configuration may undesirably hinder insertion of a crutch foot into the crutch foot receiving space, making the unobstructed xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d configuration preferred.
Means for mounting the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d bracket between crutch bows are necessarily provided. Preferably, such means comprises front and rear extension arms, said arms respectively having front and rear ends, said arms being fixedly attached to and respectively extending forwardly and rearwardly from the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d bracket. Said means preferably further comprises front and rear bow engaging shoes, each shoe supporting a flexible strap having flexible hook and loop pads attached thereto (commonly known as velour crochet or xe2x80x9cvelcroxe2x80x9d).
While the front and rear extension arms may suitably extend forwardly and rearwardly from any point along the front and rear arms of the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d bracket, said extension arms preferably extend from the base of said arms, allowing the base of the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d bracket and the front and rear extension arms to be fabricated from a single crossbar. Adoption of such crossbar configuration conveniently allows the front and rear arms of the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d bracket to be configured as front and rear posts extending upwardly from such crossbar. Such crossbar configuration also beneficially facilitates an adaptation of the front or rear extension arms to serve as a telescoping width adjusting means, allowing attachment of the apparatus between the front and rear bows of crutches having varying widths.
While the preferred bow attaching means comprises flexible straps having flexible hook and hook engaging loop pads, numerous alternate bow attaching means may be suitably utilized. For example, buckles may be used for securing straps. For further example, xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d clips fitted for engagement with the front and rear bows of a crutch may be mounted upon the distal ends of the front and rear extension arms of the inventive crutch standing apparatus. As a further example, where the extension arms are adapted to telescopingly extend, an outwardly biasing spring may be applied to the extension arms, and friction pads may be applied to the distal ends of the extension arms. Such configuration allows installation of the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d bracket between the bows of a crutch in the manner of a common pressure rod. As a further example, slip joint or slip sleeve and slipping brackets may be attached to the distal ends of the extension arms and to the bows of the crutch. As a further example, snap ridge and snap channel or snap head and snap aperture attachment assemblies may be applied to the distal ends of the extension arms and to the bows of the crutch. As a further example, the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d bracket may be attached between the bows of the crutch by means of spirally threaded screws or spirally threaded nut and bolt combinations. All such common attaching means utilizable for removably attaching the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d bracket to the bows of the crutch are considered to fall within the scope of the invention.
In use of the inventive crutch standing apparatus, assuming that the preferred flexible hook and hook engaging loop pad attaching means is utilized, the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d bracket is placed between the bows of a first crutch, and the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d bracket is oriented so that the apparatus""s front and rear extension arms contact the inner surfaces of the crutch""s bows, and so that the front and rear arms of the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d bracket extend upwardly. Thereafter, the front and rear flexible straps are wrapped around the front and rear bows, allowing the flexible hook and hook engaging loop pads to secure the straps around the bows, securing the crutch standing apparatus in place. Thereafter, a second crutch is inverted, and its lower crutch end, consisting of its front and rear lower bow ends and foot piece, is extended into the crutch foot receiving space of the crutch standing apparatus. Upon such placement, the front and rear arms of the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d bracket engage the outer side walls of said second crutch""s front and rear bows. Thereafter, the first and second crutches are splayed into an xe2x80x9cXxe2x80x9d configuration, and the foot piece of the first crutch and the arm piece of the second crutch are allowed to rest upon a ground or floor surface. Thereafter, the first and second crutch support each other, standing in a convenient xe2x80x9cXxe2x80x9d configuration.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d bracket structure and method steps which allow a first and a second crutch to stand, supporting each other, in an xe2x80x9cXxe2x80x9d configuration.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which is conveniently attachable to and removable from a common crutch.
Other and further objects, benefits, and advantages of the present invention will become known to those skilled in the art upon review of the Detailed Description which follows, and upon review of the appended drawings.